Attention/Focus

College students diagnosed with Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are at an increased risk of depression, anxiety, and lower academic self-efficacy as compared to college students not diagnosed with ADHD. Additionally, college students with ADHD diagnoses struggle to obtain effective treatment options for their ADHD symptoms. Specifically, pharmacological interventions are effective in mitigating ADHD symptoms; however, adverse effects of stimulant medications (i.e., increased/decreased appetite, headache) impact medication adherence in college students with ADHD. Neurofeedback is a non-invasive, drug-free intervention that uses the theories of biofeedback and cybernetics to increase self-regulation of brain functions. The purpose of this dissertation study was to examine differences in college student participants’ scores on inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, self-concept, depression, anxiety, and self-efficacy measures over time when exposed to the neurofeedback intervention. The researcher employed a quasi-experimental, one group, time series design to explore differences in levels of symptomology in 11 participants over four assessment points. The results identified participants’ scores in inattention (p = .016), hyperactivity (p = .017), self-concept (p = .008), depression (p = .004), and anxiety (p = .018) significantly decreased of the course of the intervention (16 neurofeedback sessions). Moreover, the participants’ self-reported levels of academic self-efficacy increased significantly over time (p < .001). The findings for the current study provide practical, professional, and public policy implications, expanding the neurofeedback training and ADHD literature.

Six AD/HD elementary school students completed 19 hours of neurofeedback training over six months averaging 45 sessions. Five of the six students measurably improved in parent/teacher report and/or objective data relatively congruent with QEEG analysis. Improvement seemed related to lower theta/beta ratios. This comprehensive adaptive approach is theoretically based upon restoring neurological flexibility and resilience, allowing circadian rhythms to renormalize and functionality to emerge (Brown, 2002).

Many college students struggle with symptoms of attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) that might affect their academic performance and overall well-being. This study sought to investigate the effects of a neurofeedback (NF) training protocol on college students’ ADHD symptoms scores. Eleven college students with ADHD diagnoses were provided 16 sessions of NF and were assessed over the course of 8 weeks during the intervention as well as at a 4-week follow-up. Improvements were identified in levels of inattention, hyperactivity, and ADHD self-concept, over time, with no significant changes identified in impulsivity.

This paper evaluates the impact of neurofeedback training on ADHD. Throughout the years, many researchers have tried to assess the impact of neurofeedback training on ADHD; however, studies have suffered from shortcomings in the methodological application and a lack of proper control groups. This study aims to address some of the aforementioned concerns. Questions addressed in this study include: (a) Is neurofeedback an effective intervention for ADHD? (b) Will participants significantly improve their symptoms with the combination of neurofeedback training and treatment as usual? I hypothesized the addition of neurofeedback training would yield more favorable results in reducing symptoms of ADHD, such as impulsivity, attention, and hyperactivity, than pharmacological treatment alone in adolescents 11–17 years old.